AS a deputy head Ruby Hussain had no qualms about calling at pupils' homes to make sure they went to school.

Now, in her new post as Lancashire's first Asian head teacher, she has vowed to use more subtle methods to get her message across.

Ruby Hussain came to England from Pakistan when she was eight years old. Her parents, Rafiqui and Anwar Hussain, were keen for their son and four daughters to have good careers and encouraged them to study and work hard, nurturing them every step of the way.

Their dedication paid off as their four daughters went into education and their son became an accountant. And Ruby, a former pupil of St Peter's Primary School in Accrington and Rhyddings High School, Oswaldtwistle, has now become headteacher of Beardwood School in Preston New Road, Blackburn.

She is no stranger to the town or the school. She entered teaching in 1982 and spent the first four years of her career at Beardwood as a religious education teacher.

She moved to Edge End County High School, Nelson, where she spent 15 years and was promoted to deputy head.

Mrs Hussain, 43, believes personal commitment and perseverance have been the key to her success. "I have just received a card from Cyril Williams, head teacher here at Beardwood 15 years ago, who said it was quite clear I was going to the top," she said. But as a child, Mrs Hussain had no ambitions to be a teacher. She said: "It is not something that children consider because they have so much experience of teachers and their job.

"Parental support in the life of a child is very important. I think all parents want their child to do well. My parents made the provision after school for us to do our homework and were there guiding us. You need a lot of confidence and need to know how the school ticks. We want to encourage as much constructive parent participation as we can.

"For example, when year 6 pupils go into year 7 we tell parents why we do homework and how they can help supervise their children. It has quite a powerful effect on children. It is a learning process and it is not something that happens overnight."

Mrs Hussain, a married mother of two boys aged five and 11, now heads a school of 950 pupils who are mostly of Asian heritage and hopes her pupils will see her as a role model. "It is a powerful image for the girls particularly. I'm saying, if I can do it, you can. There's nothing wonderful about me; I am from a similar social and economic background.

"Qualifications have given me confidence. I want the children to know that if you work hard and gain the qualifications you deserve then you can make your own choices and your own decisions."

Mrs Hussain, who lives at Rising Bridge, Haslingden, knows that problems cannot be solved overnight.

"There is a real crisis in recruitment nationally. I think over the last decade teacher morale has been low. Pumping money into the profession is not the answer -- feeling good about the profession is the answer.

"Teachers do make a difference in pupils' lives and if they can be recognised I think teachers nationally may feel good about themselves," she said.

Mrs Hussain has been welcomed by both pupils and teachers and is looking forward to the challenge she faces. "It is a school I know and staff have dropped in to say they are there if I need any help. They have been extremely supportive. I couldn't do the job without them," she said.